Watercolor education, processes and step by step lessons, for Brigham Young University-Idaho Students, Educators and Groups or Individuals furthering their skills.
Gallery site for posting my watercolor work.
Web site SallyCannonEllis.com

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Glazing Charts and Tips
These charts are examples of ways in which you can learn how different color and different pigment personalities respond to glazing.
Note that some pigments are opaque, transparent and staining pigments.
Transparent pigments always make the best glazing or layering of color.
Its important in the chart that you experience the difference between red being on the bottom and blue glazed or layered on the top. Then be sure the reverse occurs blue on the bottom and red glazed or layered on the top. The response or order in which pigments are glazed is good knowledge to have as a watercolorists.

Chart option 1

Chart option 2

Chart option 3

Note that this chart is very dark. Keep glazes of layer colors light and darken in gradual steps.

Tips on Glazing
* The magic of glazing is letting the paper dry, bone dry between each each glaze. By using the back of your hand if you feel the paper and its cool or cold, its not dry.
* Use pigments that are the lightest in value first. Yellow, Yellow Orange, Orange, Red Orange, Red. Blue Then Green.
* Always use a chart to add new colors so color variations are known before you proceed.
* Be very careful if you use a staining pigment on your glazes it stains every color you previously used and will create a value rather than beautiful delicate change in color.
* Transparent work best in glazing.
* Refer to your pigment quality chart to remember what stained and which pigment was transparent.

Monday, March 19, 2012

This piece was painted with a sable brush. The rooster was laid in using contour drawing, a must for successful watercolors. The light blue pigment came from Daniel Smiths Iridescent Blue. This pigment brings light and life to the Phthalo Blue which it was added to. The dark wash was created by using a direct continuous wash throughout the entire dark's on the chicken. The wet in wet background was placed in by splattering water on the white paper and quickly moving color behind the Rooster. Because Phthalo Blue is such a bleeder or spreading pigment just a touch of water created a soft edge which other wise would have been hard and pushing the viewer visually out of the pictorial adventure.
A fun day in Kauai, Hawaii.
As you travel along the Waimea Canyon there are parking lots filled with roosters and chickens.
This particular rooster had a white head. I am sure many visitors have seen this rooster it is very striking.